El Mangú: The Foundation Series
Learn Dominican Bachata from the Ground Up
Four-week beginner-friendly series for social dancers who want to feel confident, connected, and in control on the floor — built on timing, technique, and the roots of Dominican Bachata.
Wednesdays
January 7th · 14th · 21st · 28th
7:00–9:00 PM
45min solo · 45min partner work · 30min práctica
Ripley Grier Studios
939 8th Ave, NYC
$120 for the Series
If You’ve Always Wanted to Learn —
Start Here
You’ve heard bachata your whole life — at family gatherings, parties, cookouts, and nights out — but never really learned how to dance it. Maybe you know a few steps. Maybe you’ve watched others move comfortably and thought, I should probably learn this.
El Mangú is for people who want to understand the dance, not just copy it — to feel grounded, relaxed, and confident when the music starts.
If you care about learning Dominican Bachata the way it’s actually lived, this is where you begin.
Build a Strong Foundation
Every plate of Los Tres Golpes starts with mangú — the base that holds everything together. This series works the same way.
El Mangú focuses on rhythm, balance, timing, and connection — the fundamentals that support everything you’ll learn later. We slow things down so your dancing feels stable instead of rushed.
You’re not just learning steps. You’re building a base that makes every future class easier and every social more enjoyable.
Learn It the Way It’s Lived
This isn’t performance training or studio choreography. We teach bachata as it’s danced in real social spaces — shared, playful, and connected.
The approach stays simple:
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Music leads the movement — learning what you’re hearing before worrying about how it looks
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Connection guides the dance — adapting to your partner instead of forcing patterns
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Practice makes it real — repetition, play, and feedback so it shows up socially
Solo work, partner work, and guided play all work together so what you learn actually translates to the dance floor.
Grow Step by Step, Week by Week
Each week focuses on one clear layer, helping you understand both the music and the movement without overload.
Week 1 — Rhythm & Structure
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The foundation: the five instruments, the three parts of a bachata song, and the basic steps that go with them — so you know what you’re listening to and how to move with it.
Week 2 — History & Roots
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Where bachata comes from — bolero, merengue, and Cuban son — and how those influences shaped the way the dance feels today.
Week 3 — Evolution & Styles
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Understanding the differences between traditional, modern, and sensual bachata — how to recognize each sound, and why we focus on the traditional Dominican approach.
Week 4 — Flow & Syncopation
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Adding faster footwork, syncopations, and energy inspired by real Dominican spaces — putting everything together with more freedom and confidence.
Here, the goal is simple: steady progress that sticks.
Train Every Wednesday
Each class follows the same rhythm so you can focus on learning.
Solo (45 min):
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rhythm, timing, balance
Partner (45 min):
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frame, connection, comfort
Guided práctica (30 min):
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music, feedback, and space to explore
Small groups. Clear drills. Real progress — week after week.
Walk Away Confident
By the end of the series, you’ll feel more comfortable with the music, more stable in your movement, and more confident dancing with others.
Some dancers take this once and move on feeling ready. Others return to refine the same foundations at a deeper level. Both are exactly how this is meant to work.
If you’re ready to start building that foundation, come join us.
Sign up here to save your spot